Thesis SIMULACIÓN DEL NIVEL DE PRODUCCIÓN DE UNA MINA PANEL CAVING AL INCORPORAR UN SISTEMA DE CONFINAMIENTO DINÁMICO PARA PALAS LHD SEMIAUTÓNOMAS
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Date
2021-10
Authors
ESPINOZA JARA, JOSÉ PABLO
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Abstract
Uno de los métodos de extracción subterránea que han adquirido gran relevancia en el último tiempo (desde el siglo pasado a la fecha) son los métodos de hundimiento Block/Panel Caving, los que entregan un alto ritmo de producción y permiten compensar la caída en la ley de los yacimientos. Debido a esto y a una amplia experiencia en Chile con este método, proyectos como Nuevo Nivel Mina Andes Norte y el Proyecto Mina Chuquicamata Subterránea (ambos de CODELCO), operarán con Block/Panel Caving.
Entre las ventajas del método destaca su alta mecanización, lo que ha motivado a utilizar los avances en automatización dentro de las labores mineras. Ejemplo de esto es la operación con martillos pica roca teleoperados y cargadores LHD semiautónomos, los cuales disminuyen notablemente la exposición al riesgo y mejoran la salud ocupacional.
La incorporación de estos equipos ha requerido el desarrollo de una nueva filosofía de operación dentro de las minas, donde se debe garantizar la coexistencia segura de máquinas y personas. Esto se lleva a cabo mediante un sistema de confinamiento que separa zonas “confinadas” para que no entren ni salgan equipos o personas de ella utilizando elementos de segregación. En la experiencia nacional, esta forma de operar ha sido utilizada en pequeños sectores (unas cuantas calles), donde ha habido una demarcada separación entre la “zona manual” y la “zona autónoma”, no permitiendo la coexistencia en operación de equipos autónomos y personas, generando altas interferencias por las detenciones de equipos autónomos cuando entran personas al sector confinado.
Para disminuir las interferencias y por ende mejorar el desempeño de los equipos LHD semiautónomos, en el AMTC se ha diseñado una nueva filosofía de operación con dos propuestas de confinamiento dinámico (o flexible) que permite la creación de zonas de confinamiento dinámico dentro del sector autónomo y poder segregar zonas de trabajo y de traslado, garantizando una “ruta segura” para los trabajadores. A fin de probar los resultados de incorporar estas dos propuestas, en esta memoria se desarrollaron 3 modelos de simulación: el caso base que busca replicar la extracción de mineral en el nivel de producción de una mina panel caving de 35 ktpd, el confinamiento dinámico moderado y el confinamiento dinámico intensivo, donde este último es más permisivo en la coexistencia de equipos autónomos y personas en la zona autónoma.
El caso base demostró buen desempeño acorde al plan ingresado por lo que se toma como sustento para realizar las comparaciones. Por su parte, el confinamiento moderado logró una producción 35% mayor que el caso base y la utilización de los LHD SA llegó a 74% (versus un 55% del caso base), mientras que el confinamiento intensivo alcanzó una producción 47% mayor que el caso base y una utilización del 81%, esto gracias a una potente disminución de las interferencias operacionales. También se varió la cantidad de equipos necesarios para cumplir el plan (14 palas en el caso base), encontrando que el conf. moderado e intensivo pueden producir lo mismo con 10 y 9 palas, respectivamente.
Se analizó también la operación de martillos autónomos versus teleoperados, arrojando que los autónomos podrían disminuir las interferencias por colpa en parrilla en un 62% y aumentar la producción en un 6%
One of the underground extraction methods that have acquired great relevance in recent times (from the last century to present) are the Block/Panel Caving methods, which achieve a high rate of production, that helps offset the drop in deposit grades. Due to this and the great experience in Chile in this method (as in CODELCO's El Teniente Division), projects such as Nuevo Nivel Mina Andes Norte and Chuquicamata Subterránea (CODELCO), plan their operations with this method. Among the advantages of the method is the high mechanization, which has motivated the use of advances in automation within mining operations. An example of this is the operation with teleoperated rock breakers and semi-autonomous LHD, which notably reduce exposure to risk and improve occupational health. The incorporation of this equipment has required the development of a new operating philosophy within the mines, where the safe coexistence of machines and people must be guaranteed. This is carried out by means of a confinement system that separates “confined” areas so that equipment or people do not enter or leave it using segregation elements. In the Chilean experience, this way of operating has been used in small sectors (a few streets), where there has been a demarcated separation between the "manual zone" and the "autonomous zone", not allowing the coexistence in operation of autonomous equipment and people, generating high interference due to the stops of autonomous equipment when people enter the confined sector. To reduce interference and therefore improve the performance of semi-autonomous LHD equipment, a new operating philosophy has been designed at AMTC with two proposals for dynamic (or flexible) confinement that allows the creation of dynamic confinement zones within the autonomous sector and to be able to segregate work and displacement areas, guaranteeing a "safe route" for workers. To test the results of incorporating these two proposals, in this report 3 simulation models were developed: the base case that seeks to replicate the extraction of ore from the production level of a panel caving mine with a production of 35 ktpd, the moderate dynamic confinement and the intensive dynamic confinement, where the latter has is more permissive in the coexistence of autonomous equipment’s and people in the autonomous zone. The base case showed good performance according to the plan entered, so it is taken as a basis for making comparisons. On the other hand, the moderate confinement achieved a 35% higher production than the base case and the utilization of the LHD SA reached 74% (versus 55% for the base case), while the intensive confinement reached a 47% higher production. than the base case and 81% utilization, all thanks to a powerful decrease in operational interference. The amount of equipment needed to comply with the 35 [ktpd] plan was also varied, finding that moderate confinement can be done with 10 LHD SA and intensive confinement with 9 LHD SA (versus the 14-base case LHD’s). The operation of autonomous versus teleoperated rock breakers was also analyzed, showing that autonomous hammers could reduce interferences by 62% and increase production by 6%
One of the underground extraction methods that have acquired great relevance in recent times (from the last century to present) are the Block/Panel Caving methods, which achieve a high rate of production, that helps offset the drop in deposit grades. Due to this and the great experience in Chile in this method (as in CODELCO's El Teniente Division), projects such as Nuevo Nivel Mina Andes Norte and Chuquicamata Subterránea (CODELCO), plan their operations with this method. Among the advantages of the method is the high mechanization, which has motivated the use of advances in automation within mining operations. An example of this is the operation with teleoperated rock breakers and semi-autonomous LHD, which notably reduce exposure to risk and improve occupational health. The incorporation of this equipment has required the development of a new operating philosophy within the mines, where the safe coexistence of machines and people must be guaranteed. This is carried out by means of a confinement system that separates “confined” areas so that equipment or people do not enter or leave it using segregation elements. In the Chilean experience, this way of operating has been used in small sectors (a few streets), where there has been a demarcated separation between the "manual zone" and the "autonomous zone", not allowing the coexistence in operation of autonomous equipment and people, generating high interference due to the stops of autonomous equipment when people enter the confined sector. To reduce interference and therefore improve the performance of semi-autonomous LHD equipment, a new operating philosophy has been designed at AMTC with two proposals for dynamic (or flexible) confinement that allows the creation of dynamic confinement zones within the autonomous sector and to be able to segregate work and displacement areas, guaranteeing a "safe route" for workers. To test the results of incorporating these two proposals, in this report 3 simulation models were developed: the base case that seeks to replicate the extraction of ore from the production level of a panel caving mine with a production of 35 ktpd, the moderate dynamic confinement and the intensive dynamic confinement, where the latter has is more permissive in the coexistence of autonomous equipment’s and people in the autonomous zone. The base case showed good performance according to the plan entered, so it is taken as a basis for making comparisons. On the other hand, the moderate confinement achieved a 35% higher production than the base case and the utilization of the LHD SA reached 74% (versus 55% for the base case), while the intensive confinement reached a 47% higher production. than the base case and 81% utilization, all thanks to a powerful decrease in operational interference. The amount of equipment needed to comply with the 35 [ktpd] plan was also varied, finding that moderate confinement can be done with 10 LHD SA and intensive confinement with 9 LHD SA (versus the 14-base case LHD’s). The operation of autonomous versus teleoperated rock breakers was also analyzed, showing that autonomous hammers could reduce interferences by 62% and increase production by 6%
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Keywords
MINA SUBTERRANEA , MAQUINARIA MINERA , SIMULACIÓN , GESTION AMBIENTAL
